‘Gener’ strands passengers in Leyte, Bicol

TACLOBAN CITY — Tropical depression "Gener," which has weakened into an active low pressure area, left at least 500 Cebu-bound passengers stranded in the Leyte ports of Isabel and Palompon yesterday.

The weather disturbance also left 70 more passengers stranded in the port of Pilar, Sorsogon.

This, as the Coast Guard refused to allow vessels to ply the seas because of huge waves and strong winds.

Adriano Fuego, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, said there were no stranded passengers in Ormoc City and Allen, Northern Samar because the Coast Guard in these areas permitted vessels to sail.

Except for those in Pilar, Sorsogon, there were no stran-ded passengers elsewhere in the Bicol region.

All public storm warning signals were lowered yesterday as "Gener" slowed down with maximum sustained winds of 23 kilometers per hour. — Miriam Garcia Desacada and Celso Amo